Chung Hong-Won, South Korean Prime Minister, resigns over ferry incident

South Korean ferry sinksAP

South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won has announced his resignation today after the government's response to the tragic ferry incident on April 16 in which hundreds of lives have been lost.

Chung stated in his announcement: "Keeping my post is too great a burden on the administration."

He stated: "During the search process, the government took inadequate measures and disappointed the public. I should take responsibility for everything as the prime minister, but the government can assume no more. So I will resign as prime minister."

The total death toll of the South Korean ferry incident stood at 187 on Sunday. Divers are still looking for bodies at the bottom of the ocean, where a further 115 are still missing.

The search for the bodies have brought heartbreak to citizens in Korea, who are still grieving over the unnecessary deaths, which could have been prevented if the captain of the ship issued an evacuation sooner.

The search is heartbreaking for South Korean coast guard diver Kim Dong-soo, who told CNN: "Even now, I'm searching as if I'm looking for my own children -- and other coast guards feel the same way. I have two medical patches on me, have difficulty breathing and my head hurts. But it hurts the most in my heart, knowing those children are still in the cold water."

The South Korean navy Capt. Kim Jin-hwang stated that the navy "will not stop until the last body is found."